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Dist. 11

Book II: On the Creation of Things · Distinction 11

Textus Latinus
p. 274

DISTINCTIO XI.

Cap. I.

Quod singulae animae habent Angelum bonum ad custodiam, malum ad exercitium.

Illud quoque sciendum est, quod Angeli boni deputati sunt ad custodiam hominum, ita ut quisque electorum habeat Angelum, ad sui profectum atque custodiam specialiter delegatum. Unde in Evangelio1 Veritas, a pusillorum scandalo prohibens, ait: Angeli eorum semper vident faciem Patris. Angelos dicit eorum esse, quibus ad custodiam deputati sunt. Super quem locum Hieronymus tradit, unamquamque animam ab exordio nativitatis habere Angelum ad sui custodiam deputatum, inquiens ita: « Magna dignitas animarum est, ut unaquaeque habeat ab ortu nativitatis in custodiam sui Angelum delegatum ». Gregorius quoque dicit, quod « quisque bonum Angelum sibi ad custodiam deputatum, et unum malum ad exercitium habet »2. Cum enim omnes Angeli boni nostrum bonum velint communiterque saluti omnium studeant, ille tamen, qui deputatus est alicui ad custodiam, eum specialiter hortatur ad bonum, sicut legitur de Angelo Tobiae3 et de Angelo Petri in Actibus Apostolorum; similiter et mali angeli, cum desiderent malum hominum, magis tamen hominem ad malum incitat et ad nocendum fortius instat ille qui ad exercitium eius deputatus est.

Solet autem quaeri, utrum singuli Angeli singulis hominibus, an unus pluribus ad custodiam vel exercitium deputatus sit. — Sed cum electi tot sint, quot et boni Angeli sunt, plures constat esse omnes simul bonos et malos homines, quam boni Angeli sint. Et cum tot sint electi, quot Angeli boni, et Angeli boni plures sint quam mali, pluresque sint homines mali quam boni, non est ambiguum, plures esse bonos homines, quam sint mali angeli, et plures esse malos homines, quam sint mali angeli vel boni Angeli. Ideoque dici oportet, unum eundemque Angelum, bonum vel malum, pluribus hominibus deputari ad custodiam vel exercitium, sive eodem tempore, sive diversis temporibus. — Ideo autem dicimus eodem tempore, vel diversis temporibus, quia videtur quibusdam, quod omnes homines, qui sunt simul in aliquo tempore, singuli singulos Angelos habere possint, bonos vel malos, quia, licet maior sit numerus hominum, computatis in unum omnibus, qui fuerunt et sunt et futuri sunt, quam Angelorum, tamen, quia homines decedentibus hominibus succedunt4, et ideo numquam simul sunt in hac vita, Angeli vero numquam decedunt, sed simul omnes sunt: ideo esse potest, ut singuli hominum, dum in hac vita sunt, singulos habeant Angelos bonos vel malos ad sui custodiam vel exercitium destinatos. Ceterum sive ita sit, sive non, non est dubitandum, unumquemque habere Angelum sibi deputatum, sive pluribus simul destinatus sit, sive uni singulariter. Nec est mirandum, unum Angelum pluribus hominibus ad custodiam deputari, cum uni homini plurium custodia deputetur, ita ut eorum quisque suum dicatur habere dominum vel episcopum vel abbatem.

p. 275

Cap. II.

Utrum Angeli proficiant in merito et praemio usque ad iudicium.

Praeterea illud considerari oportet, utrum Angeli boni in praemio vel in merito proficiant usque ad iudicium. — Quod in meritis proficiant atque quotidie magis ac magis mereantur, quibusdam videtur ex eo, quia quotidie hominum utilitatibus inserviunt eorumque profectibus student. Quibus etiam nihilominus videtur, quod et in praemio proficiant, scilicet in cognitione et dilectione Dei. Licet enim, ut aiunt, in confirmatione beatitudinem acceperint aeternam atque perfectam, augetur tamen quotidie eorum beatitudo, quia magis ac magis diligunt atque cognoscunt; et est eorum caritas, qua Deum et nos diligunt, et meritum et praemium: meritum, quia per eam et per obsequia ex ea nobis impensa merentur et in beatitudine proficiunt; et ipsa eadem est praemium, quia ea beati sunt.

Et quod Angeli proficiant in cognitione, ac per hoc in beatitudine, testimoniis Sanctorum confirmant. Dicit enim Isaias5 ex persona Angelorum, Christi ascendentis magnificentiam admirantium: Quis est iste qui venit de Edom, tinctis vestibus de Bosra? Et in Psalmo: Quis est iste rex gloriae? Ex quibus apparet, quod mysterium Verbi incarnati plenius cognoverunt Angeli post impletionem quam ante. Et sicut in cognitione huius mysterii profecerunt, ita, dicunt, eos in Deitatis cognitione proficere. Quod autem in huius mysterii cognitione profecerint, evidenter docet Apostolus6 dicens: Quae sit dispensatio sacramenti absconditi a saeculis in Deo, ut innotescat multiformis sapientia Dei per Ecclesiam Principibus et Potestatibus in caelestibus. Super quem locum dicit Hieronymus7: « Angelicas dignitates praefatum mysterium ad purum non intellexisse, donec completa est passio Christi, et Apostolorum praedicatio per gentes dilatata ».

His autem videtur contradicere Augustinus super eundem locum Epistolae8 dicens: « Non latuit Angelos mysterium regni caelorum, quod opportuno tempore revelatum est pro salute nostra. Illis ergo a saeculis innotuit supra memoratum mysterium, quia omnis creatura non ante saecula, sed a saeculis est ». — Attende, lector, quia videntur dissentire in hac sententia illustres Doctores. Ideoque ut omnis repugnantia de medio tollatur, praedicta verba, Haymonem9 sequentes, ita determinemus, « ut illis Angelis, qui maioris dignitatis sunt, et per quorum ministerium illa nuntiata sunt, ex parte cognita a saeculis fuisse, utpote familiaribus et nuntiis; illis vero, qui minoris dignitatis sunt, incognita exstitisse dicamus, usquequo impleta sunt et per Ecclesiam praedicata, et tunc ab omnibus Angelis perfecte fuerunt cognita ». Constat itaque, omnes Angelos in cognitione divinorum mysteriorum secundum processum temporis profecisse. Unde non incongruenter ipsi iidem dicunt, Angelorum scientiam ac beatitudinem augeri usque ad futuram consummationem, quando in scientia ac beatitudine perfectissimi erunt, ut nec augeatur amplius nec minuatur.

Alii autem dicunt, Angelos in confirmatione tanta Deitatis dilectione atque notitia fuisse praeditos, ut in his ulterius non profecerint nec profecturi sint. Profecerunt tamen in scientia rerum exteriorum, sicut in cognitione sacramenti Incarnationis et huiusmodi, sed non in contemplatione Deitatis, quia Trinitatem in Unitate atque Unitatem in Trinitate non plenius intelligunt sive intellecturi sunt, quam ab ipsa confirmatione perceperunt. Ita etiam dicunt, eos in caritate non profecisse post confirmationem, quia eorum caritas postea non est aucta; et sic dicunt, eos non profecisse in meritis, sed hoc quantum ad vim merendi, non quantum ad numerum meritorum. Plura enim bona fecerunt postea, quae tunc non fecerant; sed eorum caritas, ex qua illa processerunt, non est aucta, ex qua tantum meruerunt, antequam ista adderentur, quantum postea, his adiectis. — Illud vero, quod alii superius dicunt, probabilius videtur, scilicet quod Angeli usque ad iudicium in scientia et aliis proficiant10.

Quibus tamen videntur obviare quorundam auctoritatum verba. Ait enim Isidorus in libro de Summo Bono11: « Angeli in Verbo Dei omnia sciunt, antequam fiant ». — Sed nec omnes nec omnia perfecte Angelos scire dixit, et ideo eos in scientia proficere non removit. Gregorius quoque in libro Dialogorum12 ait: « Quid est, quod ibi nesciant, ubi scientem omnia sciunt »? Ubi videtur dicere, quod omnia sciant Angeli, et nihil sit quod nesciant. — Sed accipiendum est hoc de his quorum cognitio beatum facit cognitorem, ut sunt ea quae ad mysterium Trinitatis et Unitatis pertinent.

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English Translation

DISTINCTION XI.

Chapter I.

That individual souls have a good Angel for custody, an evil one for exercise.

It is also to be known that the good Angels have been deputed to the custody of men, in such a way that each one of the elect has an Angel specially delegated to his advancement and custody. Whence in the Gospel1 Truth, prohibiting [men] from scandalizing the little ones, says: Their Angels always see the face of the Father. He says the Angels are theirs, to whose custody they have been deputed. On which place Jerome delivers that each soul, from the beginning of nativity, has an Angel deputed to its custody, saying thus: « Great is the dignity of souls, that each one from the rising of nativity has an Angel delegated to its custody ». Gregory also says that « each [man] has a good Angel deputed to his custody, and one evil one for exercise »2. For although all the good Angels will our good and study in common for the salvation of all, nevertheless he who has been deputed to someone's custody specially exhorts him to the good, just as is read of the Angel of Tobit3 and of the Angel of Peter in the Acts of the Apostles; likewise also the evil angels — though they desire the harm of men — yet that one more eagerly incites a man to evil and presses more strongly to harm him, who has been deputed for his exercise.

It is wont, however, to be asked, whether individual Angels are deputed to individual men, or one to several for custody or exercise. — But since the elect are as many as the good Angels are, it is clear that all the good and evil men together are more numerous than the good Angels. And since the elect are as many as the good Angels, and the good Angels are more than the evil, and the evil men are more than the good, it is not in doubt that the good men are more than the evil angels, and the evil men more than the evil angels or the good Angels. Therefore it must be said that one and the same Angel, good or evil, is deputed to several men for custody or exercise, whether at the same time or at diverse times. — But we say at the same time, or at diverse times, because it seems to some that all men who are together at any one time can each have their own individual Angels, good or evil; because, although the number of men is greater, counting in one all who have been, are, and shall be, than [the number] of the Angels, yet because men succeed4 men who pass away — and therefore are never together at the same time in this life, while the Angels never pass away but are all together — therefore it can be that the individual men, while they are in this life, have individual good or evil Angels destined for their custody or exercise. Yet whether it is so or not, there is no doubting that each one has an Angel deputed to him, whether destined to several at the same time, or singularly to one. Nor is it to be wondered at that one Angel is deputed to several men for custody, since the custody of several is deputed to one man — in such a way that each of them is said to have his lord or bishop or abbot.

Chapter II.

Whether the Angels advance in merit and reward up to the judgment.

Furthermore that ought to be considered, whether the good Angels advance in reward or in merit up to the judgment. — That they advance in merits and daily more and more merit, seems [right] to some on this ground: that they daily serve the utilities of men and study their advancements. And to those same it seems no less that they advance also in reward, namely in the cognition and love of God. For though, as they say, in the confirmation they received eternal and perfect beatitude, nevertheless their beatitude is daily increased, because they more and more love and know; and their charity, by which they love God and us, is both merit and reward: merit, because through it and through the services rendered to us out of it, they merit and advance in beatitude; and that same is reward, because by it they are blessed.

And that the Angels advance in cognition, and through this in beatitude, they confirm by the testimonies of the Saints. For Isaiah5 says, in the person of the Angels marveling at the magnificence of the ascending Christ: Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bosra? And in the Psalm: Who is this king of glory? From which it appears that the Angels knew the mystery of the Incarnate Word more fully after the fulfillment than before. And just as they advanced in the cognition of this mystery, so, they say, do they advance in the cognition of the Godhead. That they have advanced in the cognition of this mystery the Apostle6 evidently teaches, saying: That the dispensation of the sacrament hidden from the ages in God may be made known, that the manifold wisdom of God may, through the Church, be made known to the Principalities and Powers in the heavenly [places]. On which place Jerome7 says: « The angelic dignities did not perfectly understand the aforementioned mystery, until Christ's passion was completed and the preaching of the Apostles was spread among the nations ».

But to this Augustine seems to contradict, on the same place of the Epistle8, saying: « The mystery of the kingdom of heaven was not hidden from the Angels, which was revealed at the opportune time for our salvation. To them therefore the above-mentioned mystery was made known from the ages, because every creature is not before the ages, but from the ages ». — Attend, reader, because the illustrious Doctors seem to dissent in this opinion. Therefore, that all repugnance be removed from the midst, following Haimo9 let us determine the aforesaid words thus: « That to those Angels who are of greater dignity, and through whose ministry those things were announced — as to familiars and messengers — [the mystery] in part was known from the ages; but to those who are of lesser dignity, we say that it stood unknown, until it was fulfilled and preached by the Church, and then was perfectly known by all the Angels ». It stands, therefore, that all the Angels advanced in the cognition of divine mysteries according to the process of time. Whence not incongruously these same say that the knowledge and beatitude of the Angels increase up to the future consummation, when they will be most perfect in knowledge and beatitude, so that it neither increase further nor be diminished.

Others, however, say that the Angels in the confirmation were endowed with so great a love and notion of the Godhead, that in these they have not advanced further nor are to advance. Yet they advanced in the science of exterior things, as in the cognition of the sacrament of the Incarnation and the like, but not in the contemplation of the Godhead, because they do not understand the Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity more fully (or shall they understand them) than they perceived from the confirmation itself. So also they say that they have not advanced in charity after the confirmation, because their charity has not afterward been increased; and so they say they have not advanced in merits — but this as to the power of meriting, not as to the number of merits. For they did many goods afterward, which they had not then done; but their charity, from which those proceeded, has not been increased, from which they merited only as much, before those things were added, as afterward, with these adjoined. — But what the others above say seems more probable: namely, that the Angels advance up to the judgment in knowledge and in other things10.

To these, however, the words of certain authorities seem to be opposed. For Isidore says in the book On the Supreme Good11: « The Angels know all things in the Word of God before they come to be ». — But he did not say that all Angels know all things perfectly, and therefore he did not remove their advancing in knowledge. Gregory also in the book of the Dialogues12 says: « What is it that they do not know there, where they know the One knowing all things »? — where he seems to say that the Angels know all things, and there is nothing they do not know. — But this is to be taken of those things whose cognition makes the knower beatus, such as those things which pertain to the mystery of Trinity and Unity.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. Matth. 18, 10. — Hoc primum cap. excerptum est ex Hugone, Sum. Sent. tr. 2. c. 6.
    Matthew 18, 10. — This first chapter is excerpted from Hugh [of St. Victor], Summa Sententiarum, tr. 2, c. 6.
  2. Vide apud Hugonem, loc. cit.
    See in Hugh, loc. cit.
  3. Cap. 5, 6. et 6, 4. et 8, 3. De Angelo Petri vide Act. 12, 7. 8.
    Chapter 5, 6 and 6, 4 and 8, 3. On the Angel of Peter see Acts 12, 7–8.
  4. Eccle. 1, 4; Eccli. 14, 19.
    Ecclesiastes 1, 4; Ecclesiasticus 14, 19.
  5. Cap. 63, 1. Sequens textus est Ps. 23, 8.
    [Isaiah] chapter 63, 1. The following text is Psalm 23, 8.
  6. Eph. 3, 9. 10, verbis a Magistro paulisper transpositis, et pro Principatibus posita voce Principibus.
    Ephesians 3, 9–10, the words slightly transposed by the Master, and Principibus (Princes) set in place of Principatibus (Principalities).
  7. Sic ad verbum exhibetur in Glossa, paulo aliter in Commentario Hieronymi. — Haec sumta sunt ex Abaelardo, Sic et non, c. 48. circa finem.
    Thus is it set forth word-for-word in the Gloss, somewhat otherwise in Jerome's Commentary. — These [words] are taken from Abelard, Sic et non, c. 48, near the end.
  8. In Glossa ad Eph. 3, 9. 10, sed originaliter in V. de Gen. ad lit. c. 19. n. 38. 39.
    In the Gloss on Ephesians 3, 9–10, but originally in Book V On Genesis according to the Letter, c. 19, nn. 38–39.
  9. Super Epist. ad Eph. (Patrolog. lat. tom. 117 col. 715 a.). — Immediate post pro determineimus codd. B C E determinamus.
    On the Epistle to the Ephesians (Patrologia Latina, vol. 117, col. 715 a). — Immediately after, in place of determineimus, codices B, C, E read determinamus.
  10. Cod. Erf. hic annotat: Est opinio Hugonis, Sent. II. c. 6. Paulo inferius idem cod. citat Gandolphum, lib. II. c. 43.
    Codex Erf. here notes: This is the opinion of Hugh, Sentences II, c. 6. A little lower, the same codex cites Gandulph, Book II, c. 43.
  11. Scil. Sent. I. c. 10. n. 17, nonnullis omissis.
    Namely [Isidore's] Sentences, Book I, c. 10, n. 17, with some omissions.
  12. Dialog. libr. IV. c. 33. Cfr. eiusdem II. Moral. c. 3. n. 3. Immediate post textum codd. omittunt Ubi.
    Dialogues, Book IV, c. 33. Cf. the same author's Moralia, Book II, c. 3, n. 3. Immediately after the text, the codices omit Ubi. ---
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